Kevin Yarr

P.E.I. has opened a new drop-in/drive-thru COVID-19 testing clinic in Charlottetown.

The clinic opened at Eastlink Centre Monday, and is available to do testing without appointments.

"We've heard from the public, concerns about having to wait to get appointments, and knowing that school will be in session, we need to have good access to testing," said Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison at her regular weekly briefing Tuesday.

The province's ability to contain the pandemic is directly connected to its ability to test, detect and isolate cases early, and do contact tracing, Morrison said.

The site is currently for essential workers and their families only. Health PEI chief of nursing Marion Dowling said the service will expand to the general public.

"[We're] making sure we've got the kinks worked out and the process flowing smoothly so we can further increase the access," said Dowling.

P.E.I. to further ease long-term care COVID-19 restrictions

P.E.I. is working toward lifting some restrictions on visitation for residents of long-term care facilities starting next week, says Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison.

Ronald Peters, a resident of the Garden Home in Charlottetown, speaks face-to-face with his wife Shirley Doiron Peters and daughter Monica Robinson for the first time since visitation was at long-term care facilities was disallowed two-and-a-half months ago.

Garden Home

Long-term care facilities were initially closed to visitors, then outdoor visits were allowed, and restrictions are continuing to be eased.

Morrison hopes by September this option will be available for families, so that if a parent gets called to pick up a child with symptoms from school or daycare, they will be able to go straight to this clinic on the way home.

Dowling said the province is currently searching for a new site for the Charlottetown testing clinic, and Health PEI will have to ensure that systems are moving smoothly at the new site as well.

COVID-19 on P.E.I.: What's happening Tuesday, Aug. 25

P.E.I. is hoping to further ease restrictions on visiting in long-term care facilities, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison said Tuesday.

PEI Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison

P.E.I. Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison held her regular briefing Tuesday.

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FILE- In this June 19, 2018, file photo a router and internet switch are displayed in East Derry, N.H. Net neutrality traces back to an engineering maxim called the ‚Äúend-to-end principle,‚Äù a self-regulating network that put control in the hands of end users rather than a central authority. Traditional cable-TV services, for instance, required special equipment and controlled what channels are shown on TV. With an end-to-end network like the internet, the types of equipment, apps, articles and video services permitted are limited only to imagination. 

P.E.I. opens no-appointment COVID-19 testing site

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